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radiation oncology service line at Health Quest. The former is primarily reserved for benign and malignant masses in the brain. Radiation oncologists partner with neurosurgeons to deliver a high-intensity dose of radiation to precisely targeted areas without an incision and with minimal radiation exposure to the surrounding sections of the brain. Stereotactic Body radiotherapy extends Dr. Nitzkorski and Dr. Choi discuss next steps with a patient in the new Daniel Z. Aronzon, M.D., Ambulatory Surgery Center, which also houses the Health Quest Medical Practice Division of Surgery office. the same principles of high-dose radiation with definite margins to protect the surrounding normal tissue, from the brain to the rest of the body. It has proven particularly successful in treating small tumors such as those in the lungs. The therapy also expands the range of patients Dr. Farhangi and his colleagues are able to treat, such as those who are not candidates for surgery. A technical and demanding procedure from the physician's point of view, the Health Quest radiation oncolo- gists underwent additional training to gain expertise in performing body radiotherapy. "We've been lucky to have a strong radia- tion oncology program for several decades and a heightened interest and support from the hospital during the past 10 years. That's allowed us to recruit top talent both on the physician side and the technical side," Dr. Farhangi explains. "Having the depth of capabilities and framework means we can offer a wider range of oncology services than many community hospitals are able to offer. We've really leveraged the size of our four facilities to offer advanced radiotherapy services." As evidenced by the extensive training Dr. Choi and Dr. Farhangi review images as part of the treatment plan, which also undergoes peer review. The incorporation of a fully operational electronic medical record system further facilitates instantaneous, systemwide collaboration. specific site of the cancer via a catheter or to the tumor cavity immediately following its removal in the operating room. Both IORT and brachytherapy significantly reduce the time a patient spends undergoing radiation, due to the direct contact with remaining cancer cells. Dr. Farhangi also cites stereotactic radiosurgery and stereo- tactic body radiotherapy as two unique modalities within the 18 | Mid Hudson MD NEWS ■ MDNEWS.COM related to offering the newer radiotherapy, Health Quest strives to ensure patient safety. This can be especially important in a field like radiation oncology, in which new technologies are frequently incor- porated into patient care. Dr. Farhangi explains that the Health Quest Quality Assurance Program provides the backbone for delivering such multilayer treatment plans with a low risk of injury to the patient. The radiation oncology team rates certain technologies and procedures based on their potential risk and severity of injury by studying industry and manufacturer reports about the rate of errors among individual modalities. The team also performs multiple checks and rechecks on the technical elements of a treatment plan once it is developed. This translates into appraising SPECIAL CLINICAL SECTION: ONCOLOGY